PLANNING PHILOSOPHY

What is the definition of wealth? It’s difficult to answer specifically because every individual draws on their own upbringing and circumstances for an answer. I would venture to guess most answers would involve a combination of dollar amounts, material objects and experiences, namely what wealth can buy. In our opinion wealth means independence. Not relying on someone or something for your wellbeing. It means freedom. The highest form of wealth is the ability to wake up and say, “I can do whatever I want today.”

Angus Campbell, a psychologist form the University of Michigan stated:

“Having a strong sense of controlling one’s life is a more dependable predictor of positive feelings of wellbeing than any of the objective conditions of life we have considered.”

More than salary. More than the size of your house. More than the prestige of your job. Control over your life is the broadest lifestyle variable that makes people happy.

When you accept how true that statement is, you realize aligning money towards a life that lets you do what you want, when you want, where you want for as long as you want, has incredible returns. Money’s greatest intrinsic value – and this can’t be overstated – is its ability to give you control over your time. To obtain, bit by bit, a level of independence and autonomy that comes from unspent assets that give you greater control over what you can do and when you can do it.